Rest is a key part of life

The lost art of introspection — even daydreaming — may be an increasingly valuable but elusive part of life, U.S. researchers said.

Psychological scientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a professor of the University of Southern California, and colleagues reviewed the existing scientific literature from neuroscience and psychological science about the brain “at rest.”

The findings, published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, said the studies suggested individual differences in brain activity during rest are correlated with components of socioemotional functioning, such as self-awareness and moral judgment, as well as different aspects of learning and memory.